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Leadership Theory: The Basics

Get introduced to the theory behind leadership and leadership styles and find out the difference between managers and leaders.

Leadership Theory: The Basics
  • Duration2 weeks
  • Weekly study3 hours
  • LearnFree
  • Extra BenefitsFrom $69Find out more
Overview
Topics
Start dates
Requirements
Educators
This course is part of the program Leadership and Change Management, which is one of the building blocks that leads to degrees in Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (Cyber Security Management), Master of Business Administration (Health Care Sector), Master of Business Administration (Artificial Intelligence), Master of Business Administration (Sustainable Tourism), and Master of Business Administration (Marketing). Find out more.

Learn the basics of leadership theory

On this leadership course, you will be introduced to the theoretical underpinnings of leadership, different styles of leadership and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

You will have the opportunity to learn the differences between management and leadership and will investigate in detail the ethical issues that surround the issue of leadership.

What topics will you cover?

  • The fundamentals of leadership: what is the evolutionary process of leadership theories?
  • What are the major conclusions of the trait theories?
  • The skills approach to leadership
  • What are the major conclusions of the behavioural theories?
  • Identifying the major components of the contingency theories
  • Transactional and transformational leadership

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Differentiate between leadership and management
  • Critically analyse the trait, skills, style and contingency theories of leadership
  • Appraise the strengths and weaknesses of the different theories of leadership
  • Investigate the different types of leadership and their implications for organisations

Who is the course for?

This course is for experienced professionals looking to understand how a modern business succeeds through leadership, culture, decision-making and change management.

Who will you learn with?

Alim Abubakre

Dr Alim Abubakre is on the advisory board of London Business School’s Africa Club. He did his doctoral studies on CSR and strategy at Southampton University.

Mohammed Abdullahi

Mohammed Abdullahi’s research is located within labour market transitions, unemployment, change management, leadership and the role of technology and big data in organisations.

Andy Coleman

I am an Assistant Professor in Leadership, and Course Director for the MA in Leadership and Management.

Who developed the course?

Coventry University

Coventry secured gold in the UK Government’s 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and is University of the Year for Student Experience in The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019.

  • Established1992
  • LocationCoventry

Join this course

Start this course for free, upgrade for extra benefits, or buy Unlimited to access this course and hundreds of other short courses for a year.

Free
$0

Join free and you will get:

  • Access to this course for 4 weeks

Upgrade
$69

Upgrade this course and you will get:

  • Access to this course for as long as it’s on FutureLearn
  • A print and digital Certificate of Achievement once you’re eligible
Join and upgrade

Unlimited (New!)
$259.99 for one year

Buy Unlimited and you will get:

  • Access to this course, and hundreds of other FutureLearn short courses and tests for a year
  • A printable digital Certificate of Achievement on all short courses once you’re eligible
  • The freedom to keep access to any course you've achieved a digital Certificate of Achievement on, for as long as the course exists on FutureLearn
  • The flexibility to complete your choice of short courses in your own time within the year
Find out more about upgrades or Unlimited.

Advance your career with a degree

What's different about this course?

Since 2017 you have been able to take a degree on FutureLearn. This free course is a bit like a starter course for a degree — it should give you a flavour of the degree subject but can also be your first step towards a degree qualification.

If you enjoy this course you can apply to join the program it’s part of to start working towards a degree on FutureLearn.

Don’t worry, you can still take the course without doing a full degree!

How do degrees work on FutureLearn?

Do the free course
Join and complete the program
Get academic credit for an online degree from Coventry University

Which program and degree is this course part of?

This course is part of the program Leadership and Change Management, which is one of the building blocks that leads to degrees in Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (Cyber Security Management), Master of Business Administration (Health Care Sector), Master of Business Administration (Artificial Intelligence), Master of Business Administration (Sustainable Tourism), and Master of Business Administration (Marketing).

Find out more and apply